Take and Return
by Smidge-of-the-ocity1
Summary: It's a few days after the taking of school picture and a fifteen year old Arnold can't find his. But someone else may know exactly where it's gone... Rated T to be safe, I'm trying to get a hang on the rating system. (I've read the guidelines section about ratings, don't worry.)
1. It all Starts with a Photo

_**Authors Note:**__** So I was watching Hey Arnold the other day and I thought about what Helga and Phoebe and some other characters might be like in high school. I have the same policy for all my stories, give constructive criticism and I'll take it into account. Reviews telling me how much my story sucks won't change the plot like that. I hope to be adding more to the story and will check over chapters for mistakes. Any you find, please tell. It'll make the story better if what I write makes sense! **_

_**DISCLAIMER-I don't own the Hey Arnold universe nor did I make it. All credit goes to Craig Bartlett, I just work with the characters.**_

"Hey Arnold, what are you doing? And why are you on the floor." Gerald had walked into school that morning with hope for a normal day but it looked like that was about as unlikely as Curly not taking part in his favorite pastime; stalking Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. Arnold sighed in response, his face set in an irritated frown.

Gerald's brow raised and he crouched down to eye level. "I'm not fluent in sighing Arnold, please translate." Arnold rolled his eyes and turned back to the locker.

"My school picture is missing and grandma and grandpa have been expecting it! Grandpa thinks I have a large wart that I'm hiding with cover-up and I just forgot it on picture day."

Gerald tried to hide his snickers at Arnold's frustration but it didn't work. Arnold's scowl deepened.

"Oh you're a bunch of help, now get down here and look!" He commented and Gerald huffed but set to work. Phoebe passed by them, staring curiously at the two. She'd heard enough and already had an idea as to where Arnold's picture was.

Further down the hall one Helga G. Pataki was staring dreamily at the inside of her locker. If she had allowed anyone to see the insides they would spot the very picture Arnold was looking for.

_Oh Arnold, how I love thee! I cannot express it though for fear you shall reject me! Oh Arnold, one day we shall be together. One day!_

Helga's mind may have continued skipping around in Lala Land but Phoebe arrived. The still small girl poked Helga's arm.

"Helga, Helga! Are you in there?" The blonde's head shot up.

"Where's the fire?!" Phoebe smiled amusedly, from the looks of Helga's locker her friend had been swooning over Arnold again. She dearly hoped that Helga would show some bravery and own up to her confession but even the bravest people have weaknesses. Plus Arnold was looking for his picture.

"Helga, Arnold is wondering where his picture is…" Helga flushed red; she'd not taken Arnold needing the picture into account. She looked around for the boy himself. There he was, crouching down and rooting for it in his locker, frustrated.

"Oh fine, I'll give it to him! I wish the copy machine was still working …" Helga muttered to Phoebe, dejected and her friend smiled and shook her head at her best friend's antics. The bell rang though and Arnold wasn't in English class, a surprise considering his attendance record.

It was in study hall that Arnold got his picture back from Helga who walked over to his desk and handed him his school photo.

"That weird yearbook kid found your photo, don't know why he gave it to me though." Helga said, looking confused. Her acting skills had improved over the years if she did say so herself. Arnold looked at the picture and then back at Helga. He smiled slowly, Helga honestly didn't know how to react and found herself actually puzzled.

"What is it Football Head, Something on my face?" She asked slowly and Arnold dug his hand into his pocket. Helga stared at Arnold as he brought out a newer looking picture and smiled warmly. Holy shit, Helga could feel her heart speeding up. Why was she freaking out? This was okay, nothing weird was happening. It was nerves, Helga knew that but she looked around to see if the world had turned different colors anyways.

"Thank you Helga but I got a new one." Helga only nodded slightly, caught up in the moment. Both Arnold and Helga looked at the other, the situation was getting awkward, Helga felt like a deer or some other helpless woodland creature. Luck though was on her side and Sheena was in the back of the room, they had been paired for a project in art class. Helga made her escape, saying something vague about Sheena and finger painting.

Helga got to the seat next to Sheena and plopped down next to her. Sheena herself craned her head over and whispered.

"Are you alright Helga, you look kind of, lost!" Sheena asked, bless her. Helga straightened up and smiled at her art partner.

"Yeah Sheena, I'm fine, just a bit tired today, you know…" Sheena "ahed" and went back to her music sheet, humming a song as she worked.

For the rest of the period Helga was immersed in a book about karate. A warning sign to somebody annoying or stupid enough to bother her, like Harold.

The bell rang thankfully and for once Helga was glad she was not near Arnold. He was so confusing today, strange and kind of scary.

Helga was the last one out of the classroom and she stopped near the trashcan and stared down at it. No, she wouldn't do it today, she'd go to lunch. But just as Helga exited the room she sighed. Who was she kidding, the photo would plague her for a while and plus Arnold was so darned cute in that one. Well, cuter than he usually was anyways. She ran back into the room and stuffed her hand into the trashcan.

With the crinkled photo in her hand, Helga went to lunch. Looked like today wasn't that bad, she kept _her_ photo and Arnold had his new, not-as-nice one (In her opinion at least).

Unbeknownst to Helga, the object of her affections was standing a few feet down the hall, as if he expected her to get the picture. A heavy breathing sound started to make itself known and Arnold saw Brainy up ahead staring in the same direction at Lila who was walking out of the room they held student council in. She was secretary if Arnold was correct in remembering the voting day held the previous year. It certainly seemed that Brainy had moved on, at least he wasn't getting punched in the face as often as before...

Arnold turned around to go to the lunch room but stopped. Helga had headed in the wrong direction and Arnold was far too nice sometimes. Looked like he'd be spending more time with Helga then expected. A prospect that was nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time.

_**FINI**_

_** Thank you for reading. And yes, I just went there! The temptation was too great and plus I just really liked that ending. Don't really know where Brainy crushing on Lila came from but it works so there!**_


	2. And then the Photo is Forgotten

**_Okay_, really long authors note, it's necessary. Originally the note was the only thing posted but now this chapter has a bit more than that. I got a guest review asking a few questions so, here it goes.**

**_Q&A_**

**_Helga pulled the original picture from the trash, sorry if it wasn't clarified well in the story._**

_** Arnold is aware of Helga liking him and in my head canon, over the years, he starts to notice Helga's habits and pays more attention to what she says. He's not creeping on her, don't worry! He has this conflict inside over liking her and being frustrated with her because of her always being so difficult about everything. (This plays into helping her out.)**_

_**Arnold was actually looking for his picture but in the end went for the easier route of getting a newer one. Helga gives Arnold the original and Arnold, knowing that Helga likes him and being more sensitive to the fact, is aware that Helga probably had the picture and gave it back due to phoebe or a guilty conscience. Being curious about what she'll do, Arnold stays around to watch which sounds creepy I know but personally, I don't know any other way to put it right now. This is also why he smiled knowingly which I imagine, he kind of forgot Helga was standing right there.**_

_**Helga got the original picture because she's Helga and obsessed with him. Plus, her mooning over the picture of a younger Arnold takes this story down a totally different road that is less traveled for good reasons. If it helps I may write a one shot about Helga's mission to get an updated photo of Arnold. Something to note is that I only ever planned to make this story a quick one shot.**_

_**Arnold was nice because after all the snark he gets from Helga he still goes to remind her that lunch is, in fact, the other way. The school they go to for high school in my story is quite big and one could easily get lost in it. Now knowing Helga she may get stuck in Lala land until something like getting hit by a locker door or walking into a wall snaps her out of it.**_

** Well now that the Q&A is done, I have finally finished chapter two. Again, this story was only a one shot at first but I clicked in progress instead of complete then I was too lazy to change it at the time and went, "What the heck I'll do a few more chapters." Really that was the same case with my one other story. **

** Any questions, suggestions, tips, you name it! Put them in the reviews and I'll try to answer to the best of my current ability.**

** Enough of my mindless blathering, you should know I don't own Hey Arnold, at all. I simply twist the characters to my will and change their world to a fire-ridden city, devoid of joy, and- Nah, just kidding, I think.**

** ONWARDS AOSHIMA!**

Helga wandered down the hallway, lost in her head and giddy as she held Arnold's school photo close to her chest. Helga was so lost in thought that she failed to notice Arnold himself appear beside her, curious and amused.

"Hey there Helga, you're going the wrong way." Arnold said cheerfully, making Helga jump. She scowled and stopped walking, hands at her side and picture stuffed in her pocket.

"What do you want _Arnold_ and why are you following me?" Arnold's brow raised and he stared at Helga incredulously. But then again, her defensiveness should be expected so Arnold just sighed and repeated what he'd said.

"Well, the lunchroom is down the other way, not this hall. I was making sure you knew…" In retrospect Arnold's excuse sounded a little flimsy but everything worked out in the end. Helga looked down at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever seen in her entire life.

"I was going to my locker football head, we have those you know!" Helga bit out, uncomfortable and yet very, very excited at the same time.

"Everybody in our grade gets lockers in the hall near the art room Helga, this way leads to freshman lockers, remember." Arnold retorted.

Yeah, well who says I can't go down this hallway, huh? I like this hallway and its floors are nicely done!" Helga said, a light touch of pink slowly making its way on to her face. Arnold stared at Helga for a moment, shook his head, and gave her a knowing smile.

"Helga, just come on." Arnold said in exasperation though amusement was slowly starting to creep into his eyes. Helga eyed Arnold suspiciously for a minute until she huffed angrily and readjusted the strap of her bag. Both teenagers started walking back to the lunchroom, Arnold trying to strike up a conversation with Helga who gave little comments and noncommittal noises here and there.

By the time they got to lunch Helga was being less difficult thankfully. The two parted with some sarcastic jabs and a halfhearted glare at Arnold from Helga.

Arnold watched Helga as she made her way to a smiling Phoebe and Sheena who seemed to be lost in her headphones. Curly and Eugene also sat at the table, Eugene talking animatedly with Phoebe and trying to get Curly's attention away from Rhonda for a bit, Arnold could see why of course. The boy's obsession seemed stronger, a change which had come as soon as Rhonda got curves, not a surprise.

Gerald prodded Arnold and he looked up in surprise. He had automatically come to the lunch table, an ingrained habit of his. Arnold and his friends had sat at the table since freshman year and hadn't moved since.

"Hey are you alright you looked really out of it." Gerald asked his friend. Arnold smiled measuredly before he started to eat lunch. Gerald shrugged and started asking Arnold about how his hunt for the photo had gone and soon asked to see the newer one. The two made idle chatter and joked around quite a bit until a loud yelp interrupted everything. Eugene had slipped backwards of his seat as Curly stood above him with a wild, excited look on his face. He grinned madly and stared down at Helga who was across from him and then back at his bewildered peers.

"I'll do it all; nothing will stop me, AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Curly shouted, his friends didn't seem very surprised though and they only seemed to be mildly shocked.

"Fear not Hillwood you will not be missing a cupid for Valentine's Day! I won't be bro-"Curly would have continued his deafening rant had the lunch monitor and gym teacher not stormed in. They headed straight for Curly who stood defiantly, the boy hopped down from the bench he'd been standing on and ran right to Rhonda, he grabbed her and gave the shocked girl a very quick kiss. Then he pushed her away, grabbed a tray and tried surfing on the tables. This failed but Curly kept running and grabbed food on the way, Arnold couldn't move from his seat and neither could many others. They were too enraptured by the scene before them.

"FOOD FIGHT, AHAHAHA, I will never be caught you foolish miscreants!" Curly screeched and he jumped down from a table on the other end of the cafeteria then he dashed not to the door but towards Arnold's own table. Gerald panicked, asking no one in particular why the craziest kid in school and possibly the town was running full speed towards them of all people.

Arnold realized why when he remembered that a few girls had opened a window. Curly was there in a few seconds, Arnold tripped backwards off the bench as did many others. He gaped at Curly's deranged grin and then the boy was gone. He leapt out the window which was overlooking a flat roof. Everyone immediately clambered towards the window to see what was going to happen.

The teachers were kneeling on the table now and stuck their heads outside to yell at Curly, they got profanities in return. Curly disappeared from the roof and could be seen running across a street. He was an extremely lucky person as it seemed there was a traffic jam that day. People yelled in the street even after Curly was long gone, he seemed to have went off to god knows where in the city.

The commotion in the lunch room brought many people to it and the bell had apparently rang during Curly's antics and students and teachers alike were filing in to see what was going on.

Finally students were dismissed from the lunch room. The seniors had the last lunch and were the only people to stay. Arnold and many others continued onto their second to last class, PE, buzzing with all that had occurred in only half an hour. Arnold's earlier encounter with Helga would be forgotten for a time and all anyone would talk about was Curly's latest stunt.

That one moment in the lunch room settled the age old debate among students. When did everything happen during school? The answer was most definitely lunch time, well, at least in P.S. 119 that was the answer. It was either that or the few minutes between classes, people always had something going on than!

**Sorry this took a while, I had exams, writer's block, and all sorts of other lovely things to do, namely I now have a summer job and for the past few days the only thing I did after work was flop down on the bed and try to sleep. My summer is going to be pretty busy, YAY, kind of. **

** I can't tell you when the next chapter is coming out but it should be soon.**


	3. But Not by Everybody

**Hey, two updates in a day! I got the idea for this from the previous chapter. I'm planning on alternating between Arnold and Helga's POV's though their won't be a pattern. I may do a few chapters of Helga and then one or two for Arnold's point of view.**

Helga got to her table at lunch as quickly as possible; she had to tell Phoebe about this. She'd just walked with Arnold to lunch and they talked and- Helga stopped herself. Why she so worked up about this, it was just Arnold. Who walked her to lunch and smiled at her more than she ever remembered him doing. Helga spared a quick glance backwards; she spotted Arnold walking to where he and his friends had always sat during lunch. They'd been seated at that table during every lunch ever since the table they'd sat at it for a good part of the year was blocked off for renovation.

Helga turned away to see a smiling Phoebe, she waved at her friend and gave a small smile back. Phoebe held up a notepad and her smile grew wider. Helga wondered vaguely what they'd be doing at lunch, Phoebe seemed excited about it.

"Helga, my mother and father said yes to you and the others coming over!" Phoebe blurted out before Helga could even sit down. Helga leaned over at the notebook, Curly leaned over too. He tried taking her sandwich but Helga smacked his hand rather hard.

Curly scooted away, unsuccessful in his endeavor. Every lunch period Curly ended up trying to take someone's food for reasons only he knew. Helga often found herself repeating the words "Poor Twisted Little Freak," the reason being much more contact with the deranged guy.

Phoebe flipped the notebook around and brought out a pen from behind her ear, she started by explaining the plan for when everyone was at her house. Helga recognized it as she was the one to start the list with Phoebe and Sheena.

Sheena had doodled little characters around the edges of the paper, Helga added on to them by giving each and every one of the doodles names. Most of the names were weird and really quite silly but the girls had a lot of fun. Sheena liked to say that "it got her juices flowing."

Phoebe nudged Helga, realizing her friend had not been listening. Helga was busy reading the ideas for what they could do anyways. She grabbed Curly's pen and started circling ideas. Curly whipped around and glared, Helga wasn't sure why and never will but the weirdo had a sort of attachment to pens.

Phoebe had once theorized that maybe the pen represented something, Sheena agreed and mourned the almost loss of her hand the one time she touched one of his many pens, and Eugene simply shrugged. Helga suspected Curly just liked having something to stab people with if they got too close or something. It made sense in her friend's case, he once freed _all _of the animals in the zoo and that included tigers and lions!

Helga kept on circling around one single idea in the notebook. It read "News Series," something that Helga thought was the best out of all the potential plans. She handed the notebook back to Phoebe who looked it over for a few seconds until she handed it off to Sheena.

Lunch continued on and there were a few comments here and there. Everybody seemed to agree on the news show idea; Helga was, by default, pleased.

The conversation turned to Helga's encounter with Arnold, Sheena had turned down her music and Curly finally stopped trying to summon Rhonda from a distance with his nonexistent magic. Eugene leaned in from where he was sitting to listen; Helga would have scowled if she weren't in such a good mood at the moment. Everyone wanted to hear about Helga's walk to lunch and the photo escapade, not a surprise.

"And then we walked here together after he just kind of looked at me until I did it. It was awkward but then we just fell into this conversation, we got here though and the moment ended…" Phoebe smiled and congratulated Helga. The conversation ended when Eugene had gasped at something on the screen of his phone, which he guarded viciously.

Helga leaned back and rested against the wall in relief. It felt good to tell people, she'd spent her earlier childhood locking up her secret with only two others who knew. Phoebe and, surprisingly Lila were the only two who had known of Helga's crush. Helga had always thought that was it, she wouldn't have a circle of good friends and people wouldn't like her. But then life just threw her for a loop!

Helga often wondered how she had gotten to this point. It all started with Curly, big things somehow tend to, being who he was. They were all in 7th grade and up until that year they didn't really talk to each other too much (Excepting Phoebe and Helga who were best friends.)

Curly had come to Helga with a plan. An outrageous, nonsensical plan but it was also fun. Eugene also joined in; an unexpected but not unwanted addition to the plan.

Curly was going to flood the school hallways, release the frogs and fish from the science lab, and hack into the school (Helga couldn't remember why.) but not necessarily in that order.

Sheena and Phoebe came into play when they both wanted in and said so very clearly while the trio was standing around Eugene's locker planning. All five students were getting revenge against the administration at the time for different reasons but the aim was the same so they banded together.

After the prank, which the teachers couldn't pin on them but got back by assigning lunch detentions, the five students became fast friends and from then on there was somebody to sit next to at lunch and in Curly's case, call when he was feeling talkative in the middle of the bloody night, Helga was still planning her revenge for that one time.

Helga, being lost in her memory, was not happy when she was rudely interrupted by Curly cackling loud enough that the people at the next table could hear. Helga scowled and opened her mouth to tell Curly to tone it down when he looked her in the eyes with that crazy light he gets when he has an idea. Helga's brow raised high above her bangs as Curly slammed his hands on the table and stood on top of the bench.

Then he started shouting, Helga heard only enough to make her slam her head on the table and mutter something about the lethal uses of a book bag. Curly was going to be the school cupid for Valentine's Day; Helga knew where that would go. Normally she'd be game to the idea but considering Curly's and even, Eugene's matchmaking tendencies she'd find herself on a date with Arnold which sounded good in theory but Helga would mess up, she knew that.

Speaking of Eugene, he was on hanging off the bench with a dazed look on his face; he had been in the wrong spot at the wrong time and ended up being whacked across the face!

Helga watched with a growing headache at Curly who was running around going psycho. He decided to _kiss_ Rhonda, Helga felt bad for the girl even if she was a snob. Curly may be Helga's friend but he has his days and Helga liked them about as much as the next person! Which is to say, not at all.

Curly escaped through an open window and Helga imagined he'd first do something even weirder, go to his therapist, and then crash at the treehouse. That was how these days went; the reactions didn't change too much though.

When lunch ended Helga's day went faster and without incident except French class where Stinky, Harold, and Sid had a loud conversation in broken French. The conversation was littered with dirty jokes and as soon as they finished Madame Henderson wordlessly pointed toward the door, her face red with anger. The bell rang soon so Helga and the other students were out of the classroom before they could find themselves being cooked over a fire or given something equally horrific, extra homework.

Helga wanted nothing more than to go home. The day was okay, great even but she was tired and Miriam would probably be too drunk to make dinner. Bob didn't "do the whole making dinner thing" because he was "A Man." Plus he ate nothing these days but microwave meals so Helga had to magically develop cooking skills in a short time.

On the walk to the house Helga remembered the photo. It seemed like she'd lived two separate days! Lunch had distracted her from the earlier happening with Arnold. Helga stopped walking and dug some more into her bag. There was a zipper in the bottom of the larger pocket and in it Helga had her locket. It had been hers to use since she was 6 years old. When Helga was 9 the locket was pretty big but now it looked so small to her eyes (but still good enough for a photo). Helga opened the locket and slipped in the new photo of Arnold. She smiled down at it and for a moment she was in her own little world.

Of course her little world came crashing down when the sky turned dark and it started to release a torrent of rain.

"And now I'm cold, wet, and I still have a large hill to get up. How wonderful, I hate you!" Helga said loudly toward the sky. It didn't listen and cease raining, if anything it was coming down even harder

**I hope you guys like this, I wasn't actually sure how to end this and I really wanted to include the picture in some way because it was the starting point of the whole story!**


End file.
